Bethune-Cookman Football Announces Staff Changes

Published: January 30, 2017

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – Bethune-Cookman's third-year head football coach Terry Sims has announced changes to his staff. The changes include the addition of two coaches, as well as three coaches changing positions/titles.

Greg Ruffin will join the Wildcats as the new tight ends coach, while former Bethune-Cookman standout Allen Suber returns to the coaching staff as offensive coordinator/quarterbacks coach and associate head coach.

“We made some necessary changes on our staff recently, and they were needed in order for us to continuing moving forward,” said Sims, the 2015 Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference Coach of the Year. “It was necessary to continue to mold and build these young men in this program. And needed in order to continue playing at the pace that we need in order to win a conference championship.”

A 1995 graduate of Lane College (Tenn.), Ruffin is no stranger to the collegiate coaching ranks. He has been a head coach at three institutions on the Division II level, and been a consistent and aggressive recruiter that has brought positive results everywhere in which he has served.

Most recently, he served as head coach at Texas College before his arrival to Daytona Beach. Prior to his stint as Steers' head coach, Ruffin was head coach for Paine College in the school’s resurgence of football in 2013, after the program was dormant for more than 50 years. He served in that capacity for one season before the program was eventually suspended due to financial troubles.

Ruffin also spent time in the Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) at Texas Southern and Jackson State.

For the first time since 2012, Bethune-Cookman will have a new offensive coordinator. Following the 2016 season, veteran coach and offensive coordinator Jim Pry announced his plans for retirement. After spending two years as receivers coach at Alabama State, Allen Suber, second all-time in Bethune-Cookman history for career rushing yards (2,897) and fifth in passing yards (4,917), returns to his alma mater as the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach.

Suber, an All-MEAC performer under center for the Wildcats from 2000-03, was the 2002 MEAC Offensive Player of the Year, while helping the Wildcats to the 2002 MEAC title – the first of its kind for the Maroon and Gold since 1988.

Other changes for the Wildcats include assistant coach Aashon Larkins being named recruiting coordinator, in addition to his duties as special teams coordinator. Assistant coach Lawal McCray will oversee the offensive line after serving as tight ends coach the previous two seasons under Sims, and additionally serve as run game coordinator for the Wildcats. Lastly, Charles “Yogi” Jones moves to Assistant Head Coach, while continuing to serve as the program’s defensive coordinator.

“It is a great feeling to finally have everyone in and for the staff to be complete,” said Sims. “They are meeting. They are putting plans together for spring practice. And they are continuing to get us ready for the 2017 football season.”